Please Help Me Make Some Sense Of It

[egri]

For my signed 1953 Topps project, I used to think Satchell Paige was overpriced at anything above $1,200. I passed on a whole bunch of them at the time because I figured I could always pick him up later. Now he routinely sells for over $3,000, and occasionally over $4,000. Jackie Robinson I'm glad I already have, because those have been fetching around $10,000 lately. I was talking to another member about it recently, and there's no way I could start the project today, unless I either inherited a great deal of the set or won the lottery. For someone like Mantle, I may need to live with that hole in my set for a while.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by egri

For my signed 1953 Topps project, I used to think Satchell Paige was overpriced at anything above $1,200. I passed on a whole bunch of them at the time because I figured I could always pick him up later. Now he routinely sells for over $3,000, and occasionally over $4,000. Jackie Robinson I'm glad I already have, because those have been fetching around $10,000 lately. I was talking to another member about it recently, and there's no way I could start the project today, unless I either inherited a great deal of the set or won the lottery. For someone like Mantle, I may need to live with that hole in my set for a while.

I'll have hit a financial wall with my Mantle Career Run, once I eventually pick up the 1953 Topps, which hopefully in a few months will not have jumped significantly. But I went from "I can one day afford the 52 If I save up properly" to "The only way I afford it is if I hit lotto"

I try not to let the money interfere with the enjoyment I have in the hobby. I plan on collecting a long time so it's not too much of an issue. I can't definitively say what the card market will look like 5,10,20 or 30 years from now. But looking at the state of things right now, it's a little upsetting I'll have a hole in my collection. But you never know what might happen!

[egri]

Originally Posted by Seven

I'll have hit a financial wall with my Mantle Career Run, once I eventually pick up the 1953 Topps, which hopefully in a few months will not have jumped significantly. But I went from "I can one day afford the 52 If I save up properly" to "The only way I afford it is if I hit lotto"

I try not to let the money interfere with the enjoyment I have in the hobby. I plan on collecting a long time so it's not too much of an issue. I can't definitively say what the card market will look like 5,10,20 or 30 years from now. But looking at the state of things right now, it's a little upsetting I'll have a hole in my collection. But you never know what might happen!

I thought I was priced out of Campanella, but then another member here turned up one a few months ago and we were able to reach a deal. I've noticed as I've entered a holding pattern on the project, I've been spending a lot more time with the cards I sent out TTM a few years ago, and dedicating more time to a few side projects that aren't as capital-intensive.

[mrreality68]

My un- educated thought on this is that

A lot of new Money is coming in from people or organizations that are looking to diversify their investments and think collectibles specifically cards in this case are are big opportunity and they read about it.

But since they are uneducated in the baseball collectible realm they rely on things they can quantify and analyze.

So they see graded cards as that means since they can research what past cards in different grades went for and bid/buy accordingly. And as things trend up they can determine/guess what they think the upward trend is and bid in that trend range

Takes away from the collectors and makes it harder to collect what we want but it also increase the value of what we have prior the upwards trends and allows mean to hold or to flip it make a profit and do with that as we like

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

My in educated thought on this is that

A lot of new Money is coming in from people or organizations that are looking to diversify their investments and think collectibles specifically cards in this case are are big opportunity and they read about it.

But since they are uneducated in the baseball collectible realm they rely on things they can quantify and analyze.

So they see graded cards as that means since they can research what past cards in different grades went for and bid/buy accordingly. And as things trend up they can determine/guess what they think the upward trend is and bid in that trend range

Takes away from the collectors and makes it harder to collect what we want but it also increase the value of what we have prior the upwards trends and allows mean to hold or to flip it make a profit and do with that as we like

I think you're right as rain. But it kind of sucks all the fun out of it, doesn't it? It's like everything else in society, all about the money. I've personally got enough money. Unlike Han Solo, I'm in it for the fun.

So yeah, I'll just like and admire the raw cards and other stuff I have, put some of it away in the safe deposit box, and periodically get some that are new (to me) from time to time.

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

My in educated thought on this is that

A lot of new Money is coming in from people or organizations that are looking to diversify their investments and think collectibles specifically cards in this case are are big opportunity and they read about it.

But since they are uneducated in the baseball collectible realm they rely on things they can quantify and analyze.

I do believe I read something similar to what you've stated. That the pandemic kept people and their money (for those who have a lot of it) at home, so many spent a lot of time online, investing, hence the craziness. I also heard that promoting and maybe even a lot of price fixing is going on. Not sure. But I do agree it takes the fun out of it. Many things that were in my reach are now only a dream.

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by 3arod13

I do believe I read something similar to what you've stated. That the pandemic kept people and their money (for those who have a lot of it) at home, so many spent a lot of time online, investing, hence the craziness. I also heard that promoting and maybe even a lot of price fixing is going on. Not sure. But I do agree it takes the fun out of it. Many things that were in my reach are now only a dream.

I suppose you could put cards and memorabilia in your “portfolio” but that doesn’t seem the best way to go (to me). I’ll stick with my financial advisor and my traditional investments.

[Ron]

If u are a collector that is in the hobby for the fun of it and you collect cards,
there are a lot of vintage food issue or premium issue or regional issues you can collect and it would be just as fun as collecting the standard issue cards and probably a lot less expensive

[Republicaninmass]

Originally Posted by egri

I thought I was priced out of Campanella, but then another member here turned up one a few months ago and we were able to reach a deal. I've noticed as I've entered a holding pattern on the project, I've been spending a lot more time with the cards I sent out TTM a few years ago, and dedicating more time to a few side projects that aren't as capital-intensive.

Remember that dude if you ever see a signed 1952 topps!

A little good will goes a long way